Removable shaving-hood unit of a dry-shaving apparatus

ABSTRACT

A removable hood for a dry-shaving apparatus provided with a vertically adjustable skin tightening member which is arranged to be locked against rotation and maintained in engagement with a separate member for vertical adjustment by spring force.

United States Patent 11 1 Bergsma et al.

1 1 women 1 Get. 30, 1973 REMOVABLE SHAVlNG-HOOD UNIT OF A DRY-SHAVINGAPPARATUS [75] Inventors: Wytse Bergsma; Petrus Jozephus Johannes Vaes,both of Oliemolenstraat, Drachten,

Netherlands [731 Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation, New

York, NY.

[22] Filed: May 3, 1971 211 Appl. No.1 139,568

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 29, 1970 Netherlands r.7007872 [521 11.5. Cl. 30/342, 30/43.1 511 1111. C1 B26b 19 42 [58]Field of Search 30/342, 43.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,223,286 11/1940 Johnson v30/432 2,334,254 11/1943 Dehroot 30/342 Primary Exaininer-Othell M.Simpson Assistant ExaminerGary L. Smith Attorney-Frank R. Trifari [57]ABSTRACT A removable hood for a dry-shaving apparatus pro' vided with avertically adjustable skin tightening member which is arranged to belocked against rotation and maintained in engagement with a separatemember for vertical adjustment by spring force.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENIEUnmao ms 3768;160- sum 1 or 2 I N VEN TORS WYTSE BERGSMA ETRUS J.J. VAES AGENT PATENIEDUCI 30 I975 3,768,160

SHEET 2 UP 2 INVENTORS WYTSE GSMA By PETRUS. VAES AGENT l REMOVABLESHAVING-HOOD UNIT OFA DRY-SHAVING APPARATUS The invention relates to aremovable shaving-hood unit for a dry-shaving apparatus comprising atleast one shaving head and a surrounding circumferential skintighteningmember which is vertically adjustable relative to the shaving head. i

A vertically adjustable tightening rim is described in US. Pat. No.2,223,286. In this known apparatus, the tightening-rim height to be usedis adjustable by turning the rim. Such turning of the tightening rim hasthe disadvantage that during use a height adjustment is hardly possible,because such a turning movement causes the skin to bulge.

It is an object of the invention to eliminate this disadvantage, and theinvention is characterized in that the skin tightening member, which isarranged so as to be locked against rotation, is maintained inengagement with a separate height-adjusting member by spring force.

The invention is further characterized in that the skin tighteningmember and a plate-shaped shaving head support, which carries theshaving head or heads, are interconnected by springs disposed betweenthem and are arranged so as to be capable of sliding movement relativeto one another; in the mounting position of the shaving-hood unit theplate-shaped shaving head support is maintained in resilient engagementwith a vertically protruding rim of the apparatus casing by thesesprings. This construction provides the advantage that the shear platesupport may be mounted on the apparatus casing without further securingmeans.

An embodiment of the invention is characterized in the the sleeve-shapedskin-tightening member has the form of the substantially conical surfaceof a truncated cone, the upper end of which is vertically flanged overinwardly; the rounded junction between the flange and the conicalsurface skin-tightening rim, and an annular lower end which, in themounted positionof the shaving hood unit, resiliently engages the uppersurface of an'annular abutment which is rotatably supported in theapparatus casing and is vertically adjustable.

. In this embodiment, the vertically adjustable annular I abutment isspaced from the skin-tightening rim by a distance such that even duringshaving a further refinement of the vertical adjustment of theskin-tightening rim is readily obtainable. i

An advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the inner surface ofthe sleeve-shaped skintightening member is formed with atleast one, andpreferably three, inwardly projecting vertically extending rib or ribs,which fit in slots formed in the protruding rim of the apparatus casingon which the shaving head support rests. Each rib has a notch formed init, the lower downwardly inclined wall of which constitutes a contactface for the end of an arm of a pivoting lever mounted in the apparatuscasing so as to be pivotable in a vertical plane; this arm is supportedby a spring arranged in the apparatus casing. The construction of thisembodiment provides a possible manner of holding the shaving head unitagainst the apparatus casing by spring force.

, This embodiment is further characterized in that the other arm of thepivoting lever is radially displaceable by means of a disc which isrotatable in a plane substantially parallel to the shaving head support.This disc is provided at its circumference with at least onesubstantially tangentially curved outline inclined towards thedisc-center rotation in the direction in accordance with the inclinationof this curved outline, displaces the other arm in a radial direction,with the result that the resiliently supported arm of the lever isentirely disengaged from the notch in the respective rib, so that theshaving hood unit is detachable, and this rotation of the disc may beeffectuated by means of a lug which is connected to it and protrudesfrom the apparatus casing. According to this construction the shavinghood unit may readily be removed fromthe apparatus casing, whilenevertheless 'a firm connection between the unit and the casing isobtainable. Furthermore, this construction is eminently suitable formanufacture by mass production methods. The resilient connection betweenthe skin tightening member and the plate-shaped shaving head support maybe achieved by an embodiment which is characterized in that each ribwhich is provided on the inner wall of the sleeve-shaped skintighteningmember and protrudes inwardly, is provided near its upper end with apreferably rectangular recess in which the body of a substantiallyU-shaped spring is freely movable in a vertical direction; the limbs ofthis spring project upward along both sides of the rib and extensions ofthese limbs (bent over outwardly at right angles) pass through slotsformed in lugs which are located on both sides of the rib and projectfrom the plate-shaped shaving head support; These extensions thenterminate in mutually diverging upwardly protruding further extensionsthe free ends of which resiliently engage the inner wall of thetransverse end of the skin tightening member. Here also a simpleconstruction is used which effectuates the said resilient connection.

The invention will be described more fully with reference to drawings ofan embodiment, in the description of which further advantageous detailswill become manifest.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The shavinghood unit according to the invention comprises a tightening member 1 anda plate-shaped shaving head support 2. The shaving head support 2carries three shaving heads 4, one of which is shown in FIG. 1 and twoof which are shown in FIG. 2. The tightening member, which issleeve-shaped, has the form of a substantially conical surface of atruncated cone, th upper rim of which is vertically bent over inwardly;the rounded junction between the'flange 5 and the sleeve 6 form atightening rim 7. The lower end 8 of the tightening member 1 is annular.In the mounted position of the shaving hood unit the tightening memberrests upon an annular abutment 9. The inner wall of the sleeveshapedtightening member 1 is provided with at least one vertically extendingrib 10. This rib 10, which fits in a slot 34 in a vertically protrudingrim 35 of the apparatus casing on which the shaving head support 2rests, is provided with a notch 11 the lower downwardly inclinedsidewall 12 of which forms a contact surface for an end 13 of an arm ofa pivoting lever 14 which is mounted in the apparatus housing so as tobe pivotable in a vertical plane. The end 13 of the arm of this pivotinglever 14 engages the sidewall 12 of the notch 11 arm 15 is resilientlysupported by a spring 16 mounted in the apparatus casing, which springpreferably is in the form of a wire spring. The other arm 36 of thepivoting lever 14 is radially displaceable by means of a disc 17 whichis arranged for rotation in a transverse plane about an axis arrangedcentrally of the apparatus casing. This disc 17 is provided at itscircumference with at least one curved edge 18 which is a cam thatengages the end of the arm 36. During a rotation of the disc 17, thecurved edge 18 thereof displaces the arm 36 of the pivoting lever 14with the initial result that the resiliently supported arm 15 of thepivoting lever 14 is completely disengaged from the notch 11 formed inthe rib 10. In such a situation the other end 8 of the tightening memberis no longer maintained in resilient engagement with the annularabutment 9 so that the shaving hood unit may be removed.

At its upper end the rib 10 has a preferably rectangular recess 19formed in it; a body 20 of a substantially U-shaped spring 21 is freelymovable vertically (see FlG. 3) in recess 19. The two limbs 22 of thespring 21 project upwardly each along one side of the rib 10. Outwardlybent extensions 23 of the limbs 22 pass though slots 24 in lugs 25 whichare located on both sides of the rib 10 and protrude from theplate-shaped shaving head support 2, while after these extensions 23have passed through the slots 24 they terminate in diverging upwardlyprojecting further extensions 26, the free ends of which resilientlyengage the inner wall of the abutment rim 7.

The extensions 26 of the spring 21 press the plateshaped shaving-headsupport 2 down against the vertically protruding rim 35, while in thevertical adjustment of the tightening member 1 the body 20 of thisspring is vertically movable in the recess 19 in the rib l 1. Thisconstruction ensures that in any position of the tightening rim 7 theshear plate holder is maintained in resilient engagementwith the rim 35of the apparatus casing. The annular abutment 9 is shaped substantiallyin, the form of an inverted U in a cross-section taken through the axisof the annulus. The inner wall 27 of this abutment has recesses 28formed in it, the largest dimensions of which are smaller than thediameter of a ball 29 which is resiliently pressed against this innerwall 27 by a spring 30 mounted in the apparatus casing. When theabutment 9 is rotated, the ball 29 is urged into the next notch 28 eachtime in a direction opposite to the rotation of the abutment 9. Thisdisplacement of the ball 29 makes a clicking sound so that the user'sattention is drawn to the fact that a different adjusting height isobtained. Thus, starting from a zero position he only has to ascertainthe number of clicks required to produce that adjusted position of thetightening member which is most suitable for him. The obtainment of thisadjusted position is further facilitated in that the annular abutment atits outer wall 31 is provided with a projection which in the lowermostposition of the tightening member registers with a digit zero indicatedon a cover plate of the apparatus casing. This cover plate of theapparatus casing is not shown in the Figures. Successive digits on thiscover plate indicate the extent to which the tightening member isvertically adjusted. The annular tightening member rests on a support 32which is at a level relative to the apparatus casing which is not thesame at all points, while the body of the abutment 9 is of varyingthickness. The effect of this construction serves to render the annularabutment vertically adjustable as regards its upper surface; this may beachieved alternatively by giving the support a level or height relativeto the apparatus casing, which is not the same at all points. In theembodiment shown in the drawings, the shaving-hood unit comprises twoplates, the outwardly flanged walls of the hood-shaped shear plates ofthe shaving heads 4 being vertically movable between the said plates.The form of the plate-shaped shaving-head support 2 of the embodimentshown is triangular with rounded corners. The rotary disc 17 is providedwith a lug 33 which protrudes from the shaving-hood unit and by means ofwhich the disc may be rotated.

Obviously, the invention is not restricted to the above description ofan embodiment. Several alternative embodiments having the same effectare possible. The embodiment described, however, has the advantage thatits component parts are simple and, as practive has shown, may readilybe manufactured by mass production methods.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dry shaver including a generally cylindrical casing which whenupright has a vertical axis, a top end, side walls, and axially spacedbelow said top end a generally annular support part, a shaving hood unitcomprising a top plate carrying at least one shaving head which plateand shaving head are positionable at a predetermined elevation relativeto said casing, a sleeve having a bottom part,-and a top end formed as arim that circumscribes said plate, the sleeve and plate resilientlysecured together, means for releasably securing said sleeve to saidcasing coaxially therewith, first resilient means urging said sleeveaxially downward relative to said casing, means for variably moving thesleeve upward relative to the casing while the plate is maintained atsaid predetermined elevation, such that said rim of the sleeve ispositionable at varying elevations equal with and above said plate.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for variably movingthe sleeve upward comprises an inclined cam surface on the top of saidannular support part of said casing, the cam having parts of lower andhigher elevations, a follower positioned in between and engaging saidcam surface and the bottom parts of said seleve, said follower beingmovable on said cam, which thereby drives said sleeve to correspondingelevations.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said follower is a ring thatcircumscribes said casing while contacting said annular support partthereof.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve is a truncatedcone.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for releasablysecuring the sleeve to said casing comprises at least one first leverpivotally mounted on said casing, the lever having a top arm engagableto said sleeve and a bottom arm, second resilient means urging saidlever to be pivoted so the top arm engages said sleeve and urges samedownward, drive means movably mounted to said casing for engaging saidbottom arm of the lever and pivoting the lever such that the top armthereof is disengaged from said sleeve, and consequently the sleeve andtop plate are removable from the casing.

two additional first levers symmetrically spaced about said casing axis.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for fixingthe minimum distance between the top of said casing and said top plateand shaving head while said first resilient means urges said sleeve andplate attached thereto downward, and third resilient means urging theplate downward relative to the top of the sleeve, the first resilientmeans having a greater spring constant than the third resilient means.

1. In a dry shaver including a generally cylindrical casing which whenupright has a vertical axis, a top end, side walls, and axially spacedbelow said top end a generally annular support part, a shaving hood unitcomprising a top plate carrying at least one shaving head which plateand shaving head are positionable at a predetermined elevation relativeto said casing, a sleeve having a bottom part, and a top end formed as arim that circumscribes said plate, the sleeve and plate resilientlysecured together, means for releasably securing said sleeve to saidcasing coaxially therewith, first resilient means urging said sleeveaxially downward relative to said casing, means for variably moving thesleeve upward relative to the casing while the plate is maintained atsaid predetermined elevation, such that said rim of the sleeve ispositionable at varying elevations equal with and above said plate. 2.Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for variably movingthe sleeve upward comprises an inclined cam surface on the top of saidannular support part of said casing, the cam having parts of lower andhigher elevations, a follower positioned inbetween and engaging said camsurface and the bottom parts of said sleeve, said follower being movableon said cam, which thereby drives said sleeve to correspondingelevations.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said follower is aring that circumscribes said casing while contacting said annularsupport part thereof.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein saidsleeve is a truncated cone.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1 whereinsaid means for releasably securing the sleeve to said casing comprisesat least one first lever pivotally mounted on said casing, the leverhaving a top arm engagable to said sleeve and a bottom arm, secondresilient means urging said lever to be pivoted so the top arm engagessaid sleeve and urges same downward, drive means movably mounted to saidcasing for engaging said bottom arm of the lever and pivoting the leversuch that the top arm thereof is disengaged from said sleeve, andconsequently the sleeve and top plate are removable from the casing. 6.Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said lever pivots in a generallyvertical plane with the upper arm movable radially outward and inward,and said drive means is a second lever movable about said casing axis.7. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said sleeve defines a wallwith an inside surface with a notch in said surface into which saidfirst lever''s top arm is extendible.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 1further comprising two additional shaver heads in said platesymmetrically spaced about said casing axis.
 9. Apparatus according toclaim 5 further comprising two additional first levers symmetricallyspaced about said casing axis.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1further comprising means for fixing the minimum distance between the topof said casing and said top plate and shaving head while said firstresilient means urges said sleeve and plate attached thereto downward,and third resilient means urging the plate downward relative to the topof the sleeve, the first resilient means having a greater springconstant than the third resilient means.